This mess was yours, Now this mess is mine
by A Pretty Little Gilmore Fan
Summary: A multi-chapter fic based on the aftermath from the Ezria proposal in 7x05.
1. A Question and an Answer

**This mess was yours, Now your mess is mine  
**

 **by A Pretty Little Gilmore Fan**

 **Summary:** A multi-chapter fic based on the aftermath from the Ezria proposal in 7x05.

 **Chapter One: A Question and an Answer**

Aria approaches The Brew fearing the worst. Not that Nicole being found is a bad thing, what Aria fears is that if this becomes a reality that Ezra will choose Nicole over her, just when Aria knows that her and Ezra are finally in the same place in life having experienced world in a variety of forms.

"Ezra" Aria calls as she enters The Brew and finds not a single soul in sight. She walks further towards into the store once again calling out Ezra's name. Hearing no reply Aria walks towards the stairs that leads to Ezra's apartment.

As she reaches the top she realizes that the door has been left open and is surprised as she notices that there are lit candles scattered around the place. As she looks around the room she smiles in amazement remembering how romantic Ezra can be. She turns and spots Ezra donning a suit with a sweater vest underneath which takes her back to the beginning of their relationship when she was just sixteen and Ezra taught at Rosewood High School.

"You look…" Ezra says as soon has he sees Aria.

"Confused." Aria answers, the look on her face mimicking her words.

"I was going to say beautiful." Ezra tells Aria, not being able to believe that this woman standing in front of him is actually his.

"What's going on?" Aria asks still confused over what's taking place.

"Well, I'm going to talk. For a little bit at least. And then you're going to listen, and it will be your turn to talk," Ezra replies as she walks towards Aria, "You told me once, a long time ago that you couldn't imagine your life without me, and I told you that I wanted you in mine and that we would figure something out. And then we spent years apart. A world apart. Five years later when you walked in the door after all that time it felt like the last flat stretch of track of a roller coaster ride right before it comes to a stop, where your stomachs flipping out and your knees are weak but you can breathe again. That's when I knew I want you in my life Aria, for the rest of my life. I don't ever want to let you go."

As Ezra gave his speech Aria could not stop thinking that what Ezra was saying were the most romantic words anyone had ever told her, Ezra especially. She had heard Ezra say some of the most romantic things during their time together, as well as reading them, but until today nothing had ever trumped this moment as the most romantic gesture Aria has ever experienced. Although she had no idea what was going on when she first arrived at The Brew this evening, Aria now had a very clear idea of what Ezra was possibly leading towards. Was he about to propose? Aria asked herself. If so how could she say yes when she wasn't sure if they would ever be able to have a future based on the fact that she has unwillingly become an accessory to murder and helped eradicate all evidence, for if the police found out she could be serving a jail sentence. How would she be able to start a life with Ezra if that happened? She has always wanted to marry Ezra, but this could clearly be one of those moments where the whole world is working against you just so you could suffer.

"Ezra…" Aria started to say as Ezra finished his speech.

"I have just one more thing to say," Ezra interrupts Aria getting down on one knee and reaching inside the pocket of his jacket producing the most perfect ring Aria had ever seen, "Aria Marie Montgomery, will you marry me?"

Aria was dumbfounded. What was she supposed to say? Nothing in life prepares you for this moment. If she said yes as she so desperately wanted to she would be starting the next phase of their relationship with a lie about her involvement in Elliott's death. She didn't want to lie to Ezra about something this big, it's just not right. She was also afraid of how keeping this secret would affect her, and what would happen if Ezra ever found out and he realized that she had kept this from him. However, if she said no, she would be breaking both of their hearts. Ezra had obviously put a lot of thought into this as he had taken time to light the many candles placed around the room, make sure he was properly groomed for the occasion, make a heartfelt speech about his feelings for Aria, and choose a ring that was meant for Aria. It killed Aria that she was considering saying no, knowing what the stakes were.

Aria hadn't realized that she had been staring at Ezra in shock for as long as she had been until she heard Ezra's voice bring her out of her thoughts, "Aria? Are you still here?"

"I don't know if I can marry you." Aria heard herself say kicking herself and the hurt expression that emerged on Ezra's face as her words sunk in.

"What do you mean you don't know?" asked Ezra hurt evident in his tone of voice.

"If I tell you why I will be hurting other people and I can't risk that," Aria explained, "Look this isn't a no. I just have a lot of things I need to think about. Things that if they are ever revealed could mean that they make our future a complete mess. I don't want to go into anything without knowing what it will mean for everyone involved."

Aria then kissed Ezra and made her way to the door.

"You know I love you right? I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't? It would be selfish of my just to say yes because I want it." Aria said just before she disappeared out of sight.

 **Author's note**

 **Well what do you think? After much deliberation over what I should name this story I took to my iTunes library and decided that Vance Joy's song 'Mess is Mine' really fit. If you don't know it look it up on YouTube as it's it's a really good song.  
**

 **I also had a really hard time trying to figure out what Aria's answer would be and based her feelings on the promo for the next episode. I know a lot of you might not like Aria walking out just after being proposed to, but if you've just turned down a proposal from the man that you've always wanted to marry, why would you want to stay there any longer? Aria's reasoning for leaving so soon is that that she has a lot to think about, because deep down she wants to say yes.**


	2. Advice

**This mess was yours, Now this mess is mine**

 **by A Pretty Little Gilmore Fan**

 **Summary:** A multi-chapter fic based on the aftermath from the Ezria proposal in 7x05.

 **Chapter Two: Advice**

Aria left The Brew following Ezra's proposal feeling horrible. In all the ways she had ever imagined Ezra proposing she never thought she would have to turn him down. She needed to straighten things out if she wanted to keep him, which desperately did. She knew she would be getting little to no sleep this night just based on the fact that no matter how hard she tried her mind would just not shut off.

The next morning Aria headed for Lucas's apartment where Emily and Hanna were currently living in order to someone else's opinion on what she should be doing. Should she tell Ezra about what happened to Elliott aka Archer? Would the girls be upset with her if she did? So many thoughts were running through her mind and she needed someone who was level headed to calm her anxieties down. From the moment she realized she needed some advice Aria knew Emily was her best bet. Emily was the only one out of the girls who wasn't dealing with any extra drama. Hanna was still trying to get over what A.D. put her through and coming to terms that she still clearly had feelings for Caleb, Spencer was dealing with her feelings with Caleb and his leaving town, and Alison was dealing with the newfound knowledge that the man who she thought she was in love with and whom she had married had lied to her about everything since they had met. Aria had therefore concluded that Emily was her safest opinion as the only thing Emily was dealing with was how to navigate a new relationship while trying to find out who A.D. is and why they are after the girls.

"How did it go with Ezra last night?" Emily asked as Aria entered the apartment.

"Not what I expected," replied Aria as she took a seat on the sofa, "he proposed."

"What? That's amazing!" exclaimed Emily, "congratulations!"

"Don't get too excited I didn't exactly say yes." Aria explained.

"What do you mean?" asked Emily with a curious expression on her face.

"Well with everything going on with the investigation into Elliott Rollins or Archer Dunhill, whoever he is, I didn't know what would happen if they found his body and discovered we were involved. I can't promise Ezra forever if my future could be spent behind bars," Aria explained getting her feelings off of her chest, "I mean how do I even try to explain what happened to Ezra. I wanted to say yes and tell him everything so badly, but I didn't know if that was the right thing. We all promised that what we did would stay between the six of us. I can't bring Ezra into this."

"I can see why you didn't say yes," replied Emily, "look, haven't you always said that Ezra is the one? You've always known that you wanted to marry him and spend the rest of your live with Ezra. If I was you I would tell him everything about what happened that night and anything else that has ever happened to you that you feel it is important for Ezra to know. And then once you have told him that if you truly do want to marry Ezra you should say yes."

"I really do want to marry Ezra, and you're right I always have known that he's the one I want to spend the rest of my life with," Aria said with a smile which soon turned into a frown, "but what if the others are mad at me for saying something that we promised would be kept between us."

"If they are I will back you up one hundred percent," Emily said calmly trying to reassure Aria, "I will even say that it was my idea for you to tell Ezra."

"Thanks Emily. I knew you would be the only one that could truly understand and give me the advice that I needed to hear," Aria said hugging Emily, "I mean don't get me wrong the others can give good advice, it's just that right now they're all preoccupied with other things, but you even if you are going through something you always put others first. That's what I love about you."

"Aww Aria, you're making me blush." Emily laughed with Aria laughing beside her.


End file.
